Read:
Naomi, an Israelite woman, and her husband left Bethlehem during a famine and moved to Moab with their two sons. Her husband died there, and her sons also died about 10 years later. At that point in history, a woman with no male relatives was a woman without a support system. Naomi's best option now was to move back to her country and her people—and she urged her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, to go back to their own families, where they’d have a better chance.
Orpah kissed Naomi goodbye and went home. But Ruth refused. She insisted on going wherever Naomi went, living wherever she lived, and worshiping whoever she worshiped.
So a young Moabite widow left everything she knew to follow her mother-in-law to a country that wasn’t hers.
Starting over can feel humiliating and lonely—and it was certainly the case for Ruth and Naomi. But that brave step is what eventually got Ruth’s name in Jesus’ family tree, connected to the same town where he would be born. (You’ll see how tomorrow!)
We all face moments in life where we need to take a leap of faith. As scary as they can be, they often lead to incredible things—bigger than we can imagine.
Pray: God, starting over is hard, and I don’t have much to bring. But I’m choosing to follow you. Help me take the next step, wherever it leads. Amen.